School lunch fees on the rise

The federal government wants America’s kids to eat healthier, but doing so will come at a price, as new mandates motivated an increase in lunch fees in Barnstable Schools.

Kathleen Szmit

>

Federal mandates behind cost increases

The federal government wants America’s kids to eat healthier, but doing so will come at a price, as new mandates motivated an increase in lunch fees in Barnstable Schools.

According to Dustin O’Brien, Barnstable’s food service director, and Gareth Markwell, the town’s deputy finance director, changes in the school lunch pattern set forth by new nutritional guidelines and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act created by Michelle Obama, necessitated an increase in fees.

Next year’s lunches will cost $2.25 at the elementary level, up from $2.10, $2.50 at Barnstable Intermediate School, up from $2.35, and $3 at Barnstable High School, also up from $2.35. Premium Meal will move from $2.85 to $3.50, and adult meals increase from $3.03 to $3.75.

An important reason for the changes involves what Markwell called a “perfect storm” of factors, including nutrition guidelines, the HHFK Act, and maintaining a program that breaks even.

Of particular impact are the new nutritional guidelines, which require students to meet certain standards in order for the district’s free and reduced meals to count as reimbursable.

The new standards include: daily offerings of fruits and vegetables, substantial increases in whole-grain rich foods, no- or low-fat milk, reductions of unhealthy fats and sodium, revisions of calorie, fat and sodium standards based on age, and requirements of various food components at meals.

In regards to the required foods, for a meal to be considered reimbursable under state and federal free and reduced lunch guidelines, students must include at least three of five menu components in a meal. The components include a meat or meat alternate, fruits, vegetables, grains and milk.

Students in grades K-8 will be required to include a half-cup of fruit daily, and a full cup for high school students. Students will also be required to include a half to a cup of specific vegetables, as well.

“In the past we weren’t told specifically what we had to serve for a vegetable during that week,” O’Brien said, adding that now the district must have a dark green vegetable, red or orange vegetable, beans or legumes, starches, and non-traditional “other” vegetables. “It broadens the scope on what’s out there.”

O’Brien said that when he worked in Rhode Island, where a similar program was implemented, the schools held a bok choy stir-fry day to introduce students to new vegetables.

“You don’t see bok choy on school lunch menus, but with all these new regulations this is something we can look into,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien also noted that half of the grains offered must be whole grains, and the district will no longer include coffee and strawberry milk on its menus.

The cost of fruits and vegetables was a significant factor in the fee increase. O’Brien said that under the new guidelines, district students will consume 31,250 pounds of fruit alone during the regular school year.

Markwell said that the proposed rate structure for the 2012-13 school year meets reimbursement requirements. He also pointed out that Barnstable’s fees are equal to or less than comparable districts on the Cape.

School committee vice chairman Fran McDonald expressed concern about the new plans.

“From the administration standpoint do we have enough of a handle on this that it’s predictable and is a breakeven venture?” McDonald asked, citing past lunch program deficits.

Supt. Dr. Mary Czajkowski said that she felt the district would fare well.

“We have a better handle on it and I’m hoping we run in the black,” she said.

The new fees will take effect July 1, and will be in place for the start of the school year in September.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.